Imogen Allen

July 6, 2018

How To Choose the Right Platform For Your Online Course

If you are reading this, the chances are that you are in a state of “analysis paralysis” about where you want to host your online course. I know from experience, that once you start researching this subject you soon disappear into a rabbit hole of information with so many options and far too many choices.

So you can make the right choices for you, you have to work on the basis of what your own technical ability is, whether you want to do this yourself or be looking to get someone to do it for you. You also need to look closely at the investment that will be required to use which platform and what your budget is.

Although, I am very much someone who would advise you to make a decision based on the “now”, rather than worry about too many “what-ifs” you may need to give some longer-term strategy to making your decision for your online course. Depending on the solution you go with, it can be harder work to undo things later on.

How To Choose the Right Platform For Your Online Course

There are two main options for online courses and they fall into two categories.

Hosted on a Third-Party Platform

WordPress LMS (Learning Management System)

Option 1 – Hosted On A Third-Party Platform

Building your course on a hosted third-party platform is a really great way to get started with your online course. There are plenty of different platforms available that will suit your needs.

Advantages

The advantages of these platforms are that everything is set up to go. The benefits of such platforms are:-

You can get started quickly

Not as technical as the WordPress option

You can get started for free, no upfront investment

Low maintenance; once you’re set up you only need to keep your content up to date

Payment options are integrated into the systems eg PayPal, Stripe

Disadvantages

You are tied into a third-party platform which is not yours. So, if the company ceases to exist, so does your course

The set up may be free, but you pay a set % commission for each sale that you make eg you may pay 10% commission per sale to the hosting platform. This will be in addition to any payment providers commission eg PayPal

You cannot add any other functionality to the course other than what is provided by the platform

Limited customisation of design and flexibility

Examples of Third-Party Platforms

There are many companies who offer this kind of service. Some of the most popular are:-

Option 2 – WordPress LMS (Learning Management System)

Creating your course on WordPress using an LMS means that you have full control of ownership of the site, the domain and the content. On the downside, you will need to have a degree of technical knowledge and experience to be able to roll it out.

Advantages

You have full control of the site

Fully customisable for design and functionality

You can integrate with your existing website theme

Ongoing costs minimal, usually an annual subscription to the plugins you need

No commission barriers other than any charged by your payment provider eg PayPal, Stripe

The site can be added to in the future as your course requirements grow and change

Disadvantages

Initial costs higher as you invest in the required tech

You may need professional technical help to set up

You need to have some technical ability

The system will require ongoing maintenance (as WordPress websites all do)

It takes longer to set up

Examples of WordPress Learning Management Systems

Here are some LMS examples which will also need a Membership plugin to work alongside it.

How to Get Started

To help you decide which option is right for you, you need to decide on three major factors.

What do you want the system to be able to do for you and your subscribers?

What is your overall budget for the project?

What is your level of technical expertise?

Once you know the answers to these questions, your decision will be easier. If you start your online course on a third-party platform, you still have the option to move over to a WordPress solution at a later date. Although, it would be more work further down the line to move from one platform to another, don’t let that stop you from making a decision today to get started!

If you need further help to decide which platform is right for you, then get in touch and I would be happy to help. If you’re ready to work with a technical partner to get your course online with either option, then feel free to get in touch today and tell me about your project.

Imogen Allen

Imogen guides businesses to online success. With a combination offering of web design, funnel strategy and online course design, she is an active partner to increase visibility and help businesses deliver more value to their audience and their clients.

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Imogen Allen

Imogen guides businesses to online success. With a combination offering of web design, funnel strategy and online course design, she is an active partner to increase visibility and help businesses deliver more value to their audience and their clients.